The Eric Fund is honored each year to help incredible children and adults with disabilities maximize their potential and live their dreams
Wow! The Eric Fund celebrates a quarter century! For 25 years, we have been dedicated to bringing greater independence to people with disabilities in the Washington metro area. By providing needed assistive technology and devices, many people can more easily communicate with their family, friends, fellow students and workplace colleagues. They can travel more freely, participating in their community activities. Some technology provides people and families with a safer home environment.
With your continued generosity this year, we can provide five more people with essential assistive equipment worth more than $9,300. As many of you know, The Eric Fund steps in to help when applicants have exhausted every other means of support, whether it’s insurance, workplace, school, or family resources. These awards have immediate impact, not only on the applicants but on their families, friends, teachers, and colleagues. This year’s awards include a mobility scooter, a Rifton activity chair, two iPads, and a computer.
We are very proud of our 25-year history of providing assistive technology to the Washington metro area disability community and remain dedicated to this mission. To identify and fulfill the requests and needs of our applicants, we reach out to parents, therapists, social workers, teachers, medical professionals, and disability organizations. This year’s five very deserved awards bring our total number of people who The Eric Fund has assisted to 123! We could not have achieved this without your continued support that we are so grateful for.
Our mission is inspired by Eric Savader, an advocate for people with disabilities who died of cancer in 1997 and was determined to see the playing field leveled for them.
We hope you will continue to support our efforts and share The Eric Fund story with your friends and family. We wish you very Happy Holidays!
Sincerely,
President
Jefferson is a 16-year-old boy from Southern Maryland with cerebral palsy. His new wheelchair needed a tie-down device that will allow him to ride safely on the school bus. The device is not covered by insurance so his care coordinator reached out to The Eric Fund for $50, the amount needed to complete payment for the device. The Eric Fund happily filled the $50 gap.
Applications for Eric Fund awards remain on the upswing since COVID days and we’re delighted to be able to provide five very deserving applicants with more than $9,300 worth of vital assistive technology. It is also important to us that all three states in the metro area are represented by the applicants. Two young boys will receive iPads, one that will help a boy with autism whose only means of communication is the iPad. He successfully uses one at school but needs one to communicate at home. Another boy needs the device to help him communicate and for behavior modification. A former electrician is no longer able to work with the nerve damage in his leg and foot, the result of a car accident. He will receive a new computer that will allow him to continue his volunteer work making videos and to build a new skill set for future work.
Another young boy with autism, “Brittle Bone Disease,” and a digestive disease, who has outgrown his wheelchair, will receive a specialized activity chair that will provide greater security. And another woman who has illness, disability and several chronic conditions has been awarded a mobility scooter for greater independence.
The Eric Fund is a Washington-based nonprofit organization that purchases needed but often- expensive assistive technology that helps children and adults with disabilities live on their own terms in their communities. We are grateful that we’ve been able to continue this work for a quarter century and are acutely aware that it is only possible with your generosity and enthusiasm for the cause. With the support of so many of you, we were able to raise $18,000 this past spring at our first fundraiser in five years!
Founded in 1998, The Eric Fund’s mission is inspired by the memory of Eric Savader, who died from cancer in 1997 and who worked on behalf of several disability causes.
Please read on to see the compelling stories of The Eric Fund’s 2023 award recipients and catch up on some of our past awardees who you have supported.
Idriss is a 7-year-old boy from Northern Virginia with autism, ADHD and who does not communicate verbally. The iPad which he uses at school is his sole means of communication. His ability to better communicate with his teachers, peers and family will help address his behavioral issues. A communication device and assistive technology are recommended by his medical team and teachers who believe a device at home will increase his ability to communicate and improve his reading, writing and comprehension skills.
Joshua is a 12-year-old boy from Southern Maryland with autism and ADHD. He has also been diagnosed with encephalopathy which is a group of conditions that impact brain functionality. The conditions include language challenges, repetitive movements, learning disabilities and social communication difficulties. At the request of Joshua’s family and at the recommendation of Joshua’s developmental pediatrician, The Eric Fund provided Joshua with an iPad Air and keyboard needed for his speech and behavioral growth and progress.
Patrick is an 11-year-old boy from Southern Maryland with Osteogenesis Imperfecta, or “Brittle Bone Disease.” He also has autism and digestive challenges. Patrick is non-ambulatory, has outgrown his wheelchair, and it has become difficult for his single mom to transfer him on her own. Patrick is in constant motion and needs greater support for safety and mobility and has received a series of complex surgeries that result in a slow, difficult recovery. Insurance and benefit programs will not cover a Rifton Activity chair that was recommended by his doctor and physical therapists to provide greater security needed to protect Patrick from additional fractures.
Victoria loves to be active with her friends and family. A 62-year-old DC-area resident, Victoria has been experiencing mobility issues lately due to medical challenges she has encountered due to illness, disability and chronic conditions. Victoria could not get funding for a mobility scooter that she could easily manage and that would fold or come apart for travel to appointments or to easily get in and out of her home. After trying out one scooter that didn’t work properly for her that The Eric Fund returned, Victoria will be receiving a new scooter from The Eric Fund before the end of the year. Victoria looks forward to participating in activities outside of her home more independently with equipment she can more easily manage.
John is a 62-year-old man from Northern Virginia who is growing and further exploring his video editing skills thanks to a new computer purchased by The Eric Fund. John worked as an electrician for much of his career. But after a car accident, John suffered serious nerve damage in his leg and foot which prevented him from continuing to work as an electrician, impacting him and his family both financially and emotionally. John uses a scooter and walker for mobility assistance and continues to work with his doctors to improve his functionality.
As The Eric Fund completes its 25th year of providing assistive devices to people with disabilities, we are thrilled by the meaningful impact of your generous donations. Because of your generosity, we are able to provide five deserving people with equipment that will allow them to live more independent lives.
The Eric Fund is honored each year to help incredible children and adults with disabilities maximize their potential and live their dreams. Here is an update on some of our past winners.
According to her mom, 5-year-old Dream from southern Maryland has been using the rolling mount she received in 2022 for her communication device which was not covered by insurance. The rolling mount has allowed her to use her communication device throughout their home and in various seating positions. This mobile device supplements the table mount that Dream uses in a stationary position. Dream has cerebral palsy, epilepsy and developmental conditions that affect speech, motor skills and cognition. Her mother reports that Dream who communicates with an eye gaze device is now able to use the device throughout their home and in different sitting positions which has improved her ability to communicate with her family and at school. The goal of giving Dream her voice in her community and in school is being realized.
Catherine is a 43-year-old single mom from Northern Virginia. The Eric Fund provided Catherine with an ultra lightweight manual wheelchair that she can use on the go to easily get to medical appointments and with various transportation options that her heavy power wheelchair does not allow. She wrote us one day with the following update: “Today it’s raining nonstop. I had no choice but to leave the house to pick up the kids which would’ve been a disaster in my electric wheelchair as it was pouring down rain and impossible with the walker. It was such a relief to have this chair. I can break it apart (in) minutes to get it into a (rideshare or taxi) and pick up my kids (with) little to no stress. You’ll never know how much this chair (has) changed my life. Also on a daily basis being able to go glide through the rooms, not afraid of ripping up the walls more. Thank you.”
Amanda is a 19-year-old from Northern Virginia who attends a local university in its computer science program. Amanda has spastic quadriplegia which requires her to use a wheelchair and often relies on assistive devices, adap- tations, and adult assistance to pursue her education. Although The Eric Fund provided Amanda an iPad Pro when Amanda was in middle school, the upgraded MacBook Pro she received in 2022 allows her to participate in the more advanced computer science education that she is pursuing. Her mother told us that ”the (new) laptop has done wonders for Amanda. It has helped her to work efficiently at university and has allowed her to pursue her interest in computer science without worrying about having enough storage or speed to complete her work.”
Jane and her husband, who are both deaf, live in northern Virginia with their three school-age children. The Eric Fund fulfilled their request for a Smart Flasher Home Kit, a Wi-Fi system that alerts them when the doorbell or phone rings. Jane said this “assistive technology has truly been a godsend to my Deaf family. The remote signaler alerts us with flashing lights in the living room, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom, letting me know when someone is ringing the doorbell or when packages are delivered which happens often when we are home, and the kids are in school. SquareGlow’s Smart assistive technology is an amazing solution for our needs. As Deaf individuals and parents, we are very happy to have this technology in our house which has also made our home more secure.”
We are delighted to hear that the 22-year-old young man from northern Virginia uses his new computer every day and according to his father, this Eric Fund award “has made a meaningful and positive difference in his life.” His son has autism, speech and intellectual disabili- ties. He is very active in his community. He loves sports, competes in Special Olympics and volunteers for the Salvation Army and his local library. He uses his new wide-screen computer for job searches, to maintain spreadsheets and follow weather-related news which is a special interest of his. His father adds: “A big thanks to The Eric Fund for their consideration.”
Cali is a 28-year-old young woman from Northern Virginia who, along with her mother, received serious and life-changing injuries in a car accident more than a decade ago. At the time, The Eric Fund awarded Cali with an iPad to help her meet the challenges resulting from a TBI she suffered from the accident. When the iPad stopped functioning last year, we provided her with the MacBook Pro that she requested to help her navigate advanced education and career pursuits.
Cali expressed her appreciation for the new laptop that allows her to better participate with her peers and meet the challenges of daily living which includes being a caregiver for her mother. In Cali’s words, “During such a hard time in my life, I have depended on the assistive technology awarded to me by The Eric Fund to help me get through everything from mundane daily tasks to the most complex medical documents and treatment plans. I think it is hard to grasp that for a person with a disability assistive technology is a need, not a want.”
She cites some of her daily needs as having “to process critical medical and personal documents, using a variety of medical platforms that would be impossible without the laptop and assistive reading software.”
Cali said, “I hope people understand what a critical support The Eric Fund is to the disability community. With the right supports people with disabilities cannot only survive but thrive.”
She also stated that, “The skills we gain from understanding how to overcome those challenges are invaluable and The Eric Fund is so critical because it understands that each person needs something different to be able to cope with the challenges that come along with having a disability. I just want to thank every single person who has ever donated or supported The Eric Fund because your support has made it possible for people in the disability community like me to survive and thrive.”
The Eric Fund celebrated 25 years with another lively reception and silent auction at Nellie’s Sports Bar in DC on May 8, 2023. With some of Washington’s finest restaurants, cases of wine, handmade quilts, wine tastings and Virginia wineries, sports tickets and memorabilia to bid on, The Eric Fund raised more than $18,000 from nearly 100 attendees and many who could not attend but generously donated.
As always, we thank Nellie’s for their generosity and their wonderfully supportive staff as well as our generous sponsors who donated over 70 gifts for the silent auction. Stay tuned for any announcements regarding 2024
The Eric Fund would like to express our sincere gratitude to all of our generous donors and especially to our longtime and dear friends and Eric’s dive buddy who surprised us with a very generous $10,200 donation. We respect their wishes to remain anonymous, but we are deeply grateful for their years of generous support.
And a huge thanks to Nate and Anne for their continued generous financial and technical support. While Nate has helped us with online and website assistance, Anne keeps Mary laughing throughout her planning travails. Thank you!
As you can imagine, narrowing down the application pool each year is difficult, and often leaves many worthy candidates without the funding for the assistive technology they need to lead more independent lives in the community. Your generous donations will help us continue to change lives, by putting vital equipment in the hands of people with disabilities to help them live life on their own terms. Help us expand our reach. More donations mean more grants and fewer people we need to turn away each year. We will continue to put every dollar to work!
